Illuminated sign



M r 17, 1931- J. K. KING 1,797,094

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Nov. 24, 1 928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

rfJferzzyea 76572 reamed a; 17, 19351 f.

UNITED STATES PATENT es JOHN KENTNE'IE me, or enmiwoon srnmes, DISPLAY, me, A conrona'rron or wns mmrou comaano, nssrenon 'ro- 3on1.

ILLUHINA'IED SIGN Application filed November 24, 1928. Serial Io. 881,604.

This invention. has relation to display apparatus, such as signs, signals, direction indicators, advertisements, and the like in which the matter to be displayed is in the q 5 form of a stenciled plate or other similar de-.

vice through which rays of light are transmitted. from a light giving medium located 7 behind the same.

10 certain improvements in display apparatus high tension.-' These improvements consist.

The object of the invention is to provide of the above recited character employing Geisler tubes, or other light giving tubes, containing gases which are rendered 111mlnousby the action. of an electric current of in the construction of an apparatus wherein the light from the gaseous element will'be projected through the sign or foreground by means of suitable reflectors or mirrors, while the Geisler or like tubes will be concealed,

under consideration,

or so located' that the rays therefrom will not be directly projected therefrom.

, In the accompanymg drawing 1l1ustrat ing preferred embodiments Figural is a front view of a display de- V106 comprising a housmgor casing adapted to contam the lightingtubes and appurte of the. electrical equipment;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of' the apparatus v Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of one form of the apparatus in which concave reflectors are employed;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view, in perspelctive, ofthe Geisler tube arrangement; an

Figure 8 is-a vertical transverse sectional View of the apparatus equipped with plane mirrors or reflecting surfaces instead of concave reflectors.

of the invention 1 parts the light distribution in Figure 8.

Fi re 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the form shown in- The numeral 1..dGSlgI18tGS a rectangular,

oblong casing or housing of metal or other suitable'material com o sed of the back wall 2, top and bottom wa s, 3 and 4, respectively, end walls 3, 4' and the-front anel 5, the last named being either a stenci ed plate or a glass plate uponwhich are produced the letters, numbers or legends WlllCll are be displayed.

The size, particular shape and other minor features of the apparatus will depend upon the special uses and locations asfor highway signals, street indicators, directory boards and thelike and may be varied accordingly.

The numerals'fi and 7 designate Geisler I tubes or other equivalent electricalll-yilluminated gas tubes, located horizonta y at the upper and lower parts of the casmg and within the same.

secondary coil of a transformer 10, the primary of which is fed from asuitablegenerator located outside the casing.

The tubes 6 and 7 are bent to rectangular form, the transverse sections 11, being 10-" cated at the ends of the casin and the main illuminating sections 12 located near the front of the casing and runnin len hwise of the latter, They are prefera 1y disposed out of sight by the framing 12' of the casing.

These tubes are mountedqat their ends on the blocks 8, towhich are attached circuit terminals or binding posts 9, connected to the the "form of the ap aratus shown in Fi re 6, the light from t e Geisler tubes is re ected forward by means of the concave reflectors 13,- 13 located behind and facing the stenciled or translucent front of the casing,

focuses of the reflectors, w rays forward in parallelism.

In the form of the apparatus shown in Figure 8, a series of plane mirrors 14,are arranged in zig-zag relation, in which position the direct light from the tubes will be cast on the mirror sections facing the same, and will be indirectly projected forward and through the illuminating tubes being glositioned in the ch project the 1 vthe reflecting angles, to the vertical plane so as to re ect the open or transparent parts of therfront panel'of the casing, it being understood that surfaces are disposed at pro er there be seen that if the ower tube 7 be of one color the light rays will be reflected from the reflector surfaces A and strike the screen in bands A while rays of another color emanating from tube 6 will be reflected from the surfaces B and produce bands B of that color which will show throu h the open spaces on the screen or plate 5. bviously, where rays from both lamps mingle, a color corresponding to a blend of the two will be produced. For instance, if the two lamps emit red and blue rays respectively, a part of the screen' will show purple.

The casing may be equipped with any desired number of reflecting mediums, so located that they will reflect the rays from thetubes through different portions of the fore ground panels or stencils.

It is to be understood that the main object of the invention is to permit of the advantageous and economical use of Geisler tubes for signal or display purposes without incurring any of their objections or disadvantages. Where the light is projected directly from the tubes toward the foreground or through display planes, it is obj ectionable' by reason of its intense glare and penetration. This is over- I come by the present invention by which the rays from the tubes are reflected and thus reduced in brilliancy and diffused, so as to beclearly seenwithout causing disagreeable sensations tothe eyes of the observer.

Byrthe use of the Geisler tubes or their known equivalents the light may be efliciently produced and managed at less cost and by the use of simpler appliance than are requisite for other methods of illumination.

I claim 1. In an illuminated sign, a pair of light emitting tubes emitting light of different them to the light receiving surface to cover other spaced portions thereof alternately with the first tube.

2. In an illuminated Sig-iii,

a pair 'of light emitting tubes emitting ht of .difierent colors extending in spacedparallel relation, a

spaces covered by the rays from the light receiving surface having transparent portions arranged to form a sign and located in front of and shielded from direct rays from said-tubes, a series of spaced light reflecting surfaces positioned to receive rays from one of said tubes and to reflect the rays to spaced portions of the light receiving surface, and a. second-series of spaced light reflecting surfaces arranged alternately withthe surfaces of the first series to receive rays from the remaining tube 0 y and to reflect them to the light receiving surface to cover other spaced portions thereof alternately with the. spaces covered by the rays from the'first tube, one reflecting surface receiving light from one tube and a second reflec surface receiving light from the other tube ing arranged to reflect the received light at least partially on the same area of the light receiving surface to cause blending of the two" colors on said area.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' J. KENNETH KING.

5, colors and extending in spaced parallel relao tion, alight receiving surface havin trans- I parent portions arranged to form a sign and located in frontof and shielded from direct rays from said tubes, a series of spaced light reflecting surfaces positioned to receive rays from one ofsaid tubes and to reflect the rays to'spaced portions of the light receivin sur-v spaced lig t re- III 

